


All Things Wicked

by BoobsRadley



Category: Pretty Little Liars
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2017-12-01
Packaged: 2019-02-09 01:44:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12877536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BoobsRadley/pseuds/BoobsRadley
Summary: When a young woman is found brutally murdered, the residents of Rosewood, Pennsylvania are thrown into a panic as the hunt for her killer begins. But sometimes the truth can do more harm than good. Sometimes the truth is more terrifying. And once it’s out — there is no going back.





	All Things Wicked

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! This is one of my old fics I recently found. It was written a long time ago, but I tweaked it a bit. Let me know what you think! Should I continue or scrape it? In this story, the girls are still in high school. Basically I'm borrowing the town and the characters. No A, no A-Team; Ali and Mona are friends with the girls, etc. Enjoy!

_**“Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.” - Sir Walter Scott** _

Death is a fickle thing. Often times we fail to see what’s in front of our own face. Sometimes we don’t want to.

* * *

 

“We are here to mourn the loss of a beloved daughter, a cherished sister and an honored friend. She was taken from us far too soon and in such a tragic way. A beautiful life was stolen.”

The words were somber and sympathetic, mixing in with the choked sobs and muffled sniffles that echoed around the quiet room.

Aria reached out and laced her fingers through the girl’s next to her. A light squeeze, a gentle caress of her thumb against the smooth skin of the other’s palm. “Spencer…”

Spencer glanced over at Aria, shooting her a watery, shaky smile. Her eyes were filled with tears. Mascara ran down her pale cheeks but to Aria she’s still beautiful. “Aria…”

Aria wiped her girlfriend’s tears away with the tissue she’s had balled up in her hand. “You’ll get through this.”

Spencer shook her head. Her posture was rigid. “I doubt it.”

“You can,” Aria urges with a gentle smile.

“M-Maybe…” Spencer’s voice cracked. “As long as I have you.”

Aria squeezed Spencer’s hand. The lights in the funeral home were bright enough to hurt her eyes, and she took a deep breath. “You’ll always have me.”

_Age 12 - September 4th, Ink N’ Things Bookstore, Rosewood, Pennsylvania 4:33PM_

_“Don’t take too long, Aria. We still have to unpack.”_  
  
_“I won’t, Dad!”_

_Aria looped down an aisle and vanished from sight. Aria, her younger brother and their parents had moved to Rosewood earlier in the afternoon from Virginia and before they had even settled into their house, Aria had begged her father to take her to the local bookstore and he had eventually given in. Now, Aria was happily strolling around Rosewood’s tiny but homey bookstore. It smelled like coffee, pastries, and of course — books. Aria loved to read. If she could she’d live in a bookstore._

_“Ten minutes, Aria!” Her dad shouted from somewhere in the store. He always had a loud voice and it irritated her._

_“Okay!” Aria hollered back. She ducked into the Young Adults section. Maybe she’d pick up a nice horror book or a sappy romance. Both? Bright and colorful books jumped out at her. Some books were thick, with the promise of a good story and others were smaller, but the best things often came in small packages. The shortest book could hold the tale of the most wondrous adventures, whereas the longest book could be full of dull characters and bland plots._

_Aria’s eyes flitted up to a book on the highest shelf — ‘The Witches: Salem, 1692.’_

_It was one of her favorites and her old copy had been dropped in the bathtub. Perfect! Her eyes swept down to scan the lower shelves, but she didn’t see any copies._

_“Of course. Figures.” Aria sighed and placed one hand on the middle shelf and her feet on the bottom shelf. Then she pulled herself up and tried to grab the book, but only succeeded in pushing it back further. “Goddamn it…”_

_“What are you doing?”_

_Aria nearly toppled backwards. She whipped around fast; scared she’d gotten caught by an employee. But standing in front of her was a girl a few inches taller than herself. She had long, brunette hair that was braided neatly down her back. She was dressed in light blue skinny jeans and a beige-colored soft top. The white belt with a flower buckle she’d fastened around her stomach kept sliding down, and she had on matching beige flats. She was cute — very cute._

_“I…was just trying to get a book off the top shelf,” Aria answered sheepishly._

_“Oh. I can help you. Which book would you like?” she replied._

_“The Witches,” Aria replied, shuffling to the side._

_The other girl’s lips split into a wide smile. “That’s one of my favorites! Hang on.”_

_Aria watched as the girl stood on the end shelf and reached her arm up. Her shirt lifted up just slightly and Aria saw a faded, jagged scar on the girl’s hip, in the shape of what looked like a jagged zigzag scar. But then she stepped down, and handed Aria her book._

_“Thanks,” Aria said gratefully. “You didn’t have to help me.”_

_“Oh, it’s okay.” The taller girl pursed her pink lips, eyeing Aria up and down. “Are you and your family just passing through? I’ve never seen you around here before.”_

_“Oh, no,” Aria shook her head, her skull earrings swinging back and forth, “We just moved here today. I begged my Dad to bring me up here. “ She paused, adding, "I’m Aria.”_

_“I’m Spencer. Welcome to Rosewood. Did you guys get an apartment? A duplex?”_

_“Nope.” Aria’s eyes dropped down Spencer’s stomach again — she kept fiddling with her belt — “We bought a house. Both of my parents got teaching jobs here. Go figure.”_

_Spencer nodded. “Well, do you know your address yet? Maybe if it’s not too far from my house we could carpool to school tomorrow. Are you going to Rosewood Day Academy?”_

_Aria beamed. She liked Spencer. She was nice. “Yeah! I am. I live at 7835, Kapsberry Street.”_

_Spencer blinked. “No way!” she gasped. “You guys bought the house right next to mine! I live at 7834, Kapsberry Street.”_

_“Really?” Aria grinned._

_“Yeah!” Spencer grinned back._

_“That’s awesome!”_

_“Yeah, what are the odds?” Spencer’s eyes lifted up to Aria’s black-and-white checkered hat. She had decorated its rim with tons of colorful buttons. Some were slogans; others were humorous. Her gaze zeroed on a pink and blue ‘Bitch!’ button and she smirked._

_Aria also had a yellow and black ‘I <3 Books’ button. Another read ‘Girls’ in pink lettering over a white heart. Aria had a button of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Eiffel Tower, and several buttons supporting causes — breast cancer, AIDS, LBGTQ and childhood diabetes._

_Spencer reached out and tapped the rim of Aria’s hat. “I like what you’ve done with your hat. Your parents just let you walk around wearing those?”_

_Aria raised an eyebrow and leaned against the bookshelf behind her “Yeah?”_

_Spencer looked surprised. "Really?”_

_Aria shrugged. “My parents basically let me do anything I want, as long as I don’t get, like, arrested or anything. You should see some of the posters I have.”_

_Spencer noticed for the first time how Aria was dressed. Black and pink striped leggings, and a black leather jacket shrug, over an old The Beatles T-shirt. Feather earrings dangled from her ears and Spencer could see the tip of a fake — real? — tattoo of a dragonfly peeking out from under her shirt. Its bright blue tail went just past her collarbone. “Is that a real tattoo?”_

_Aria laughed. Spencer was staring at her like she had grown a second head. “No, it’s a temp. My parents won’t let me get a real tattoo until I’m sixteen. What about your parents? Could you get a tattoo?”_

_Spencer snorted. “I can’t even butter toast without them breathing down my neck to make sure I spread it evenly.”_

_“…Seriously?”_

_“No, but the sad thing is it’s not that much of an exaggeration.”_

_Aria was about to say something when Byron trolled over. He placed a gentle hand on her left shoulder. “Aria, we have to go.”_

_“Dad! I only got one book!” Aria protested. “I —” Hazel eyes lit up, snapping briefly to Spencer before landing back on her father. “Dad, this is Spencer. She’s our new neighbor! Can’t I stay here for a while? Please? Spencer can show me how to get home.”_

_Byron’s eyes shifted to Spencer. “Oh, that’s right. My wife mentioned we lived next to a couple with two daughters. Hastings, right?”_

_“Yep!” Spencer shot Aria a small smile. “I’ll get her home safely, sir. I promise. It’s just a few blocks from here and I know my way back. We won’t be too long.”_

_“Please, Dad? I only got to pick out one book! I need at least five. I’ve read all of my other ones two dozen times, and —”_

_“All right, all right,” Byron cut his daughter off in a soft tone. “It’s fine. Just come straight home once you’re done, okay?”_

_“I promise!” Aria nodded eagerly_

_“Of course, sir.” Spencer said politely._

_Byron fished his wallet out of his pants and handed Aria a twenty-dollar bill. “Here, you go. Buy something for Spencer, okay?”_

_“Sure!”_

_Byron bent down and kissed Aria’s cheek before giving Spencer a small nod and walking off._

_“Thanks for offering to walk me home.” Aria said._

_Spencer smirked. “Hey, it’s no problem. What are friends for?”_

_Aria mirrored Spencer’s smirk. Friends? Spencer considered them friends already and Aria hadn’t even been in town for a whole day yet._

_“So, you’ve read The Witches? I just love this book!“ Spencer exclaimed. "I’m really fascinated with The Salem Witch Trials. I would love to go back to that era.”_

_A smirk grazed Aria’s pink lips. “The kids at my old school thought I was a witch because I used to carry around voodoo dolls.”_

_“…Really?”_

_“Yeah,” Aria giggled. “I made them out of cloth. I knit a lot. I made the hat I’m wearing. The kids were probably freaked out because I made the dolls to resemble a few of them. I portrayed them pretty accurately.” Her voice grew softer and she mumbled, ”I wouldn’t have done it if they hadn’t picked on me all the time.”_

_Spencer snickered. “Those poor bastards.“ She frowned and shifted her weight anxiously.” I know what it’s like to be teased, though. It sucks.”_

_“No kidding.”_

_Spencer stepped a tiny bit closer to her and Aria’s nerves crackled. “What’s with the buttons on your hat? Do they mean anything?”_

_Aria’s free hand flew up to her hat, her fingers dancing over the smooth buttons. “Oh, yeah! I collect them. I collect a lot of things. Anyway, each town I go to, I try to get a button from there. Some of them, like the Eiffel Tower, are places I want to visit. I would love to go to Paris. Some of them are obvious, like the 'girls’ one. Books. My cousin has diabetes and she’s, like, six. I know someone who survived breast cancer. All of them are important to me.”_

_Spencer smiled. Her lips pursed in thought and she dug through her satchel. “Here,” she said, dropping it in Aria’s hand, “I want you to have this.”_

_“Really?” Aria studied the button. It was in the shape of a horseshoe. Her eyes shifted to Spencer’s face. “How come?”_

_Spencer shrugged. “I carry it around for luck, but I’d like you to have it. You said you try to collect from each town you go to, right?”_

_Aria nodded. “Yeah! I - are you sure?”_

_“Absolutely.”_

_Aria’s heart fluttered. Spencer certainly was kind. She fastened the button onto the rim of her hat and with a little giggle, bumped Spencer’s hip with her own. “This is important to me now, you know.”_

_“Why is that?”_

_“Well, because,” - Aria twisted her hat to the side and shot Spencer an almost flirty smile - “I got it from my first friend here in Rosewood. So I guess we’re stuck with each other.”_

_“I think I like the sound of that.” Spencer smiled._

_“Aria?”_

Aria jumped. The service had ended, and Spencer was staring at her. “Sorry,” she says softly. “I was thinking about…stuff.”

“It’s okay.” Spencer’s voice was shaky. She looked on the verge of tears.

Aria smiled uneasily and stood up. A few people were standing over Melissa’s casket, saying their final goodbyes, and she had to tear her eyes away.

“Aria? Spencer?”

Both girls whip around. Spencer’s parents were standing in front of them. Veronica’s makeup was smeared down her cheeks and Peter’s eyes wre red and puffy.

“Thank you for coming, Aria,” Peter expressed in a somber tone. “It’s very much appreciated.”

Spencer embraced her parents in a hug and Aria’s stomach twisted. "I…of course. I’m so sorry.“

Veronica patted Aria’s hand. "You’re a good girl, Aria. You always have been.”

Aria smiled halfheartedly. “I’ll, uh, be right back. I think I see my brother.” She ducked away before anyone could say anything, and dashed out the funeral home doors.

The stone steps were slick and wet, and Aria nearly toppled over in her heels. It was freezing outside, but Aria’s insides felt like they were engulfed in flames. Acid bubbled in her stomach. Bile tickled her throat. Spots started to flash in front of her eyes. Aria leaned against the nearest tree and shut her eyes.

_Age 12 - September 4th, Spencer Hastings’ House, 5:00PM_

_“So, I’ll have a map ready for you tomorrow. We’ll walk to school together and you’ll meet Hanna and Emily. They’re my best friends.” Spencer walked up the front porch of her home._

_“What are they like?” Aria asked, following behind her new friend._

_“Hanna’s really…well, she’s a diva. Emily’s shy but really sweet. I think you’ll get along with them well.” Spencer unlocked the door and slipped inside._

_“I hope so,” Aria mumbled, ducking in after Spencer and shutting the door behind her._

_“You will,” Spencer replied, kicking off her flats. Her toenails were painted red and Aria thought the color looked good with the contrast of Spencer’s skin._

_“Do you want anything to drink?” Spencer asked._

_“I should probably get home and let my parents know you haven’t lured me off to certain doom,“ Aria joked._

_Spencer giggled and hung her satchel by its strap on a kitchen chair, motioning for Aria to sit down. “Nah, your brother saw us. Didn’t you notice him outside?”_

_Aria shook her head._

_“Oh. Well, he was out on your lawn. Anyway, want some water or something? A Sprite?”_

_“A Sprite sounds good.”_

_Spencer headed over to the fridge and took out two cans of Sprite. She sat down next to Aria, and slid her can over to her. “Are you excited to be in a new town?”_

_“I guess. I’m hoping this place is better than my old town.” Aria popped the tab open and watched the clear liquid fizz around the rim of the can._

_“What do you think of Rosewood?” Spencer asked, opening her soda can and taking a sip._

_Aria started to reply when an elder girl walked in through the Hastings’ back door. She had the same hair and eye color as Spencer, but unlike Spencer, she didn’t wear glasses and she was dressed in business attire._

_“Spencer, Mom told me to remind you about dinner at the country club tonight,“ she said, without so much as a glance at Aria._

_“I’m not stupid, Melissa,” Spencer snapped. “I remember. Oh…” Her gaze fell on Aria. “Aria, this is my sister, Melissa. Melissa, this is Aria. Her family bought the house next door.”_

_Melissa’s eyes finally flitted to Aria and her lips turned up at the corners. “Hey, Aria. Nice to meet you.“_

_"Nice to meet you, too,” Aria said in a polite tone._

_Melissa tilted her head and her smiled widened. “I like your hat too. Interesting.” Her heels clicked on the tiled floor as she gracefully made her way over to the girls. Her fingers of her right hand grazed the rim of Aria’s hat. “Your style is unique.”_

_“Can you leave us alone?“ Spencer piped up, sounding annoyed._

_“Relax, Spencer. I’m just being complimentary.” Melissa sauntered away, but paused at the base of the stairs leading to the basement. She pivoted slowly, her gaze falling on Aria immediately. "It’s good to see my sister making new friends.”_

_And then she was gone, leaving behind a confused Spencer and a bewildered Aria._

The blare of a car horn snapped Aria out of her memory. She straightened up and turned around, breathing raggedly. People were leaving the funeral home and getting in their cars to make the drive to the cemetery. The tiny orange flags on the top of each car were too omniscient, and Aria almost didn’t see her family climbing into their car. She finally exhaled and looked down at her hands. Her palms were slightly red, with half-moon crescent marks present on her skin. As Aria slowly made her way to the car, she inhaled and exhaled as deeply as she could.

Today was going to be a long day.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed it! Please let me know what you think! I will be updating my other fics as well. I have just been really busy (I graduate in a few weeks!), and I have a lot of personal stuff going on. I really appreciate each and every one of you. Don't forget to leave reviews!
> 
> Much love!


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